


Curiosity

by lilaclily00



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga, Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Transcendence (Gravity Falls), Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 08:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26848849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilaclily00/pseuds/lilaclily00
Summary: Truth's blocked off demonic omniscience from instantly understanding alchemy--so, of course, Alcor wants to learn about itbadly. He grabs his chance once it's there, but things are rarely that simple.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 27
Collections: Transcendence AU Ficathon 2020





	Curiosity

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually a WIP I started in 2017, revamped for Oct. 3rd and TAUathon 2020. This fic requires more basic TAU knowledge than FMA:B/manga knowledge to read, but there may be spoilers. I hope to post a few more chapters for it, and will add tags as I go on!
> 
> Cross-posted on FFN and Tumblr:  
> https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13713206/1/Curiosity  
> https://lilaclily00.tumblr.com/post/631191181711360000/curiosity
> 
> On with the story!

Alcor wasn’t a regular customer at the Midway Bar. That was why, when he once dropped by, he was surprised to see another highly irregular customer there he’d only known of through word of mouth.

A vaguely humanoid shape sat on the corner stool, stark white that faded into black static around the edges. A blue drink, half-finished, floated by their elbow. Nyhraarhyn, the Palindromic Pain-Inflictor, tiredly slumped by their side, apparently having had to sit and listen a long while to the white demon’s tirade that reverberated even to Alcor’s stance at the bar’s entrance.

“Evidently, it was only _equivalent exchange_ to rob him of his legs,” Truth was saying as Alcor broke out of his surprised stupor and inched his way to a stool of his own. “It is truly astounding how stupid my humans are, to think they can reverse _death_ and defeat _me_ of all gods!”

_The rumors were true,_ Alcor’s mind supplied, his omniscience filling in the rest as he numbly sat down.

Truth was… an interesting guy, the other demons said, one of the oldest and oddest around. They didn’t bother making deals for people’s souls, most of the time, opting instead for pieces of their body or mind. That, coupled with their claim on every transmutation circle for human necromancy as their summoning circle—when alchemy actually worked and _thrived_ in few universes, and even fewer humans attempted to use it to bring someone back from the dead—made their modus operandi seem like a rather inefficient way of gaining power. Nonetheless, they seemed about as happy as a demon could be, with their wide grin full of flat-edged teeth. Alcor reasoned that they likely had enough power that a regular supply was just not necessary—he was reaching that point, himself.

He was personally more intrigued by how they would play at being a god when they were rather obviously _not_. He _supposed_ they could get away with it if the majority of the humans they “ruled” over didn’t believe in supernatural beings like demons…

“Yes, that is exactly how!” Truth chirped, suddenly floating beside Alcor with their signature grin, their body smaller than he expected. “My infinite stores of knowledge are also rather convincing.”

It took a moment for their words to register.

“Did you read my mind?” Alcor balked.

Truth, now evidently the size of a human preteen, barked out a laugh that grated at Alcor’s immaterial skin. “There is no need to read your mind when I _am_ you, Dipper Pines.”

A discordant note struck at Alcor’s insides, and Truth’s grin softened the slightest bit. “Ah, I see I should be more careful. That name has not been spoken in decades. Here, how about I buy you a drink?”

Despite their demeanor, Alcor felt his guard go up as much as it does around most demons—if Truth understood him as well as they seemed to think, then this was likely a manipulation tactic for—for _something_ , even if it was only their own amusement.

“I would say your distrust is a silly human quality to maintain, but… it is only reasonable to not trust other knowledge demons, yes?” Truth continued after ordering Alcor’s recent go-to, as if they just _knew_. “However, I know you have _many_ questions about alchemy, while none of the other creatures here seem particularly interested. I suppose, then, that it _is_ for my own amusement to indulge your inquiries for a moment.”

Alcor glanced between their face and the blue drink again floating at their side. They held nearly all information about their universe’s alchemy under lock and key—as in, Alcor’s omniscience _didn’t work_. They certainly wouldn’t just _indulge_ Alcor’s increasing curiosity. “No deal?”

“Well, nothing is for free!” Truth tutted, grin growing again.

“I see,” Alcor said. “That’s too bad.”

“Oh, if you believe that will work on me, Dreambender—”

Surprisingly, their banter was pretty easy from there, and Truth even let Alcor weasel a few morsels of alchemic knowledge out of him, probably considering it “equivalent exchange” for succeeding at entertaining him through conversation. Perhaps, in being oddities and outsiders among their own species—the youngest and oldest among the most powerful demons—they found a commonality.

Truth’s drink was gone despite never actually sipping it, and Alcor had finished two refills by the time he began, “Okay, fine, you can’t tell me the best things humans have done with alchemy, so what about the worst?”

The white figure’s grin slowly dropped. Before Alcor could take back the question, they muttered, “Creating the Dwarf in the Flask,” and faded away.

He quickly realized they had probably answered because his omniscience couldn’t provide the explanation for why this "Dwarf in the Flask" was so awful. If even the weirdest knowledge demon out there was unsettled by it, though, perhaps Alcor’s reawakening human side did _not_ want to know.


End file.
